2 stakes races at Arlington Saturday

High Roll and Captain's Affair headline a field of nine 2-year-olds for Saturday's Grade III $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity, while 11 juvenile fillies including Maria Maria, stakes-placed Divergent View and stakes-placed Sweetsoutherndame passed the entry box for its sister race, the $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie.

Each race will be run at the one-turn mile distance over Arlington's Polytrack.

High Roll has just one start under his belt but was an impressive winner at first asking. The son of Roman Rule wired his rivals in his debut, winning by 3¾ lengths over 5½-furlongs on Aug. 3. High Roll is trained by Jimmy DiVito and jockey Francisco Torres gets a return call Saturday.

Team Valor International's recent European import Captain's Affair certainly takes the prize for most distance traveled to the Futurity, having last raced at Tipperary in Ireland. Captain's Affair will have the services of Mike Smith.

In the Washington-Lassie, Maria Maria, who comes from the same connections as Futurity runner High Roll, enters the Lassie off a maiden win going 7 furlongs over the Arlington Polytrack on July 19. Maria Maria stalked the leader and drew off to score impressively under Torres, who retains the mount aboard the Jimmy DiVito charge.

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